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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27982077">Cinematographic Ineffability</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/qwanderer/pseuds/qwanderer'>qwanderer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Other, Tangled (2010) References, a whole fleet of them, these two have Feelings about Tangled</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:03:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27982077</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/qwanderer/pseuds/qwanderer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Well, you look… outraged," Crowley commented.</p>
<p>"Of course I'm outraged!" Aziraphale gestured to the screen. "The poor girl only has three books!"</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>122</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Cinematographic Ineffability</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey all! I wrote this as a gift for a holiday event and then realized I misunderstood the parameters of the prompt, so you get it early and then a second, vaguely similar fic in a couple weeks! I worked hard on this and I'm glad it exists, even though it doesn't work for what I made it for. So if you are also glad it exists, please let me know!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Crowley liked to pretend that he picked sweet, soppy movies for Aziraphale's benefit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In truth, Aziraphale was happy to watch dramas of most kinds, especially ones with incisive wit. If asked, he would have said that he'd seen The Sound of Music enough times that his quota of saccharine musicals was quite full enough, thank you. Crowley groused and wrinkled his nose and pretended he didn't want to watch the comforting movies he chose. Aziraphale huffed and condescended and pretended he didn't want to indulge Crowley at every turn. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so today, as they settled into the comfortable couch that Aziraphale had insisted Crowley acquire, happily full of good food and good wine, they sniped at each other over tonight’s selection of Tangled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It promised to be utterly soppy and romantic, as these modern cartoon versions of some rather grim old stories tended to be. Aziraphale usually didn't pay full attention to these movies, preferring to use them as background for getting in some quality snuggles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To his consternation, he was almost immediately drawn into the life of this modern young Rapunzel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, you look… outraged," Crowley commented.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course I'm outraged!" Aziraphale gestured to the screen. "The poor girl only has three books!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At that, Crowley just snorted, and settled in with his arm around Aziraphale's shoulders. So Aziraphale tried his best to relax into it, and let the movie wash over him as Rapunzel was waxing poetic about how the lights in the sky were meant for her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He soon found himself sitting up straight again, eyes drawn back to the screen even as he wanted to look away. The indecision, as Rapunzel alternately delighted in the world around her and worried what the consequences of her indulgence would be, was palpable. Aziraphale couldn’t help but feel for the poor girl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beside him, Crowley made a thoughtful noise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aziraphale tore his eyes away from the screen to look at him askance. Crowley's gaze just flicked down to where Aziraphale's hands were clasped together tightly, thumbs worrying each other. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn't noticed how tense he'd become. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he looked back up at Crowley, the demon was just looking at him steadily, a fond little smirk tucked up in the corner of his mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aziraphale felt suddenly rather naked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Crowley stroked a hand over his shoulder and pulled him just a little closer. Aziraphale made a small, surrendering sort of noise, and melted back into his side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stayed that way through a rowdy musical number and an action sequence, Aziraphale making peace with the feeling of being known so well. As long as it was Crowley.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aziraphale began to pay closer attention when Flynn began to talk about his past. How he downplayed the worst bits of his life early on, and his propensity to care for young children, in favor of telling about how he fell into his questionably wicked ways and modeled himself after the coolest character in all his favorite stories. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He'd even changed his name, and took pride in the reputation he'd shaped. Aziraphale couldn't help but smile, and turned his face up to watch Crowley's.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Crowley saw him watching and asked, "What?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Anthony J Crowley," Aziraphale drawled, echoing the Nazis who'd come across the demon playing spy like something out of a thrilling novel, "your reputation precedes you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Shut up," Crowley responded, and then said more quietly, "Bastard."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aziraphale heard the affection layered under Crowley's embarrassment. He chuckled and gave a happy wiggle, as if he could somehow manage to settle further into Crowley's space. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Crowley made a resigned noise, and leaned in to press a sweet, soft kiss to Aziraphale's lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By the time they managed to turn their attention back to the screen, the characters were speaking of what to do about the end of a quest, when one's previous driving purpose became obsolete. Aziraphale gave a soft sigh, and settled in to listen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The movie continued to be saccharine sweet, with very little bearing on previous versions of the tale of Rapunzel, but Aziraphale didn't really mind. The central duet of the musical had a quite modern sound, which was novel, but it wasn't jangly or noisy, as some of Aziraphale's least favorite modern music tended to be. And most importantly, Crowley's arms were around him, holding him close. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So the song hit its mark, and Aziraphale felt a twinge of melancholy. For an opportunity grasped, despite the possible consequences. For the joy of going off and having an adventure together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I should have gone to Alpha Centauri with you," he whispered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Nah," Crowley answered just as softly. "We helped save the world, didn't we? Besides, we can have our moment now."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aziraphale melted against him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Very soon, the story ratcheted up the tension again. Mother Gothel returned, forcing Rapunzel to face all her twisting guilt and secret rebellion. She separated Rapunzel from her roguish new friend and convinced her that Flynn had led her astray. Rapunzel agreed to go back home, where she was high up and closed in and subdued. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gothel offered backhanded encouragements, seeming to crush Rapunzel’s spirit into a smaller and smaller shape, until Rapunzel suddenly saw something that made her remember the world she'd left behind more clearly than ever before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All at once she understood that her 'mother' didn't care about her, didn't care about helping anyone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rapunzel knew where she belonged, and where she didn't belong.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"All of this is as it should be," said the woman who claimed to love her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"NO!" Rapunzel cried. "You were wrong about the world. And you were wrong about me. And I will never let you use my hair again!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This children's story, it was simple, but also the opposite of simple. It spoke to Aziraphale so clearly, in small words with definite answers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>The would-be authorities that demean and dismiss you are wrong.</span>
  </em>
  <span> It said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>sometimes you feel with your heart what the right thing is, even if it's the opposite of everything you've been taught. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you choose your own path. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blindly, Aziraphale reached for Crowley's hand. Their fingers interlaced and held tight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The heroes of the film faced danger with brave faces, each eager to risk the worst for each other. Aziraphale couldn't look away from the screen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You were my new dream."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The quiet words were everything to the characters they'd connected so readily with, and their hands tightened on each other as they watched.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aziraphale hadn’t been the one to mourn, to believe that the person he loved had died, but he was still struck by the similarities. In Rapunzel’s face, he saw Crowley's tear-stained despair when Aziraphale, sans body, had finally managed to track him down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aziraphale felt a weight in his chest, not entirely unpleasant, but sobering, as if he had another heart in there along with his own. His cheeks were wet, and from the sniffle he heard coming surreptitiously from Crowley's direction and the way the demon lowered his head subtly so that his hair brushed across Aziraphale’s temple, he suspected he wasn't alone in that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But a miracle occurred, and both characters were alive and free and together. Aziraphale took a long, shaky breath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well," he said as the credits rolled, "that was more intense than anticipated." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was prepared to make light of their reactions and pretend they hadn't just been clinging to each other and silently crying at a silly cartoon musical. But when he turned to Crowley, the demon didn't look inclined to deflect as he usually might. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"They tried to kill us," Crowley said, "but we lived. And all the stars are yours, if you want them."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” said Aziraphale, and his eyes burned with the heat of fresh tears. “I don’t need that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of Crowley’s fingers traced the curve of Aziraphale’s cheek, and he asked, “Do you want it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want… I want.” He rubbed at his cheeks, where more tears seemed determined to roll their way down. “I want to make tea,” he said, because there were so many things he wanted, and that one was one of the easier ones to admit to. “And read to you. That mystery novel we were in the middle of, I enjoy watching you mull over the clues as we come across them." He took a breath, letting himself feel things, so he could answer Crowley honestly. Crowley deserved to hear it all. "I want to run my fingers through your hair as you fall asleep and listen to the little noises you make when you dream." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Crowley looked dazed, and a bit lost. His fingers twitched as if he was holding himself back from a reaction, like, for instance, shoving Aziraphale up against a wall. They were both accustomed to pushing any evidence of their attachment to each other away, because it was dangerous. But they were learning, slowly, how to face that evidence without flinching. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aziraphale reached to take Crowley's hand in his again and rub those elegant fingers with his thumb. "I want to know you," he said. "And if the stars you made are still part of that, I’d like you to show them to me one day, yes. But what I truly want is you. Just you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ah," Crowley responded, his voice cracking slightly. "Mnghk. Yeah. Yep, I." He swallowed noisily. "The same. I feel the same." He smiled crookedly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aziraphale couldn't help but return the smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They leaned into each other, and it couldn't quite be called kissing this time. But their foreheads touched, their cheeks brushed, and then they found themselves just smiling against each other's mouths. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps a bit of demonstrative affection, some sentimental fluff, could be appealing for its own sake. From time to time.</span>
</p>
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